This past Shabbos, I had the pleasure of seeing my friend S. Around seudah shlishi, she told me an inspiring story of an Israeli baal teshuva who shares his story. If anyone has any details, feel free to contribute.
In brief, this man was a drug addict and a criminal living here in America. One night he overdid it, and while in the taxi cab about to go home with his girlfriend in tow, he felt himself dying. He then felt himself hovering over the cab for a moment, during which he saw the entire lives of both his girlfriend of the taxi driver and his girlfriend. And the next moment he was up in shemayim.
There, he found himself in a stadium filled with billions of souls. And he was without clothes since he had performed no mitzvos. None. So he pleaded for a second chance, in order that when he should return, he would have merit.
Snap! There he found himself, back in the cab, and related what happened to his girlfriend. When she protested, he was able to tell her a shocking detail of her life, which she admitted she had never shared with anyone. The man of course became a fervent baal teshuva.
I thought about this story and found it a wonderful metaphor with which to guide one's life. For all those people who want to expand their wardrobe, they can focus on expanding their spiritual clothing collection! Every time we are faced with an opportunity to do a mitzvot, we can remember that we are building our wardrobe in the world to come!
At first I figured that I would properly forget to apply this lesson to my daily life. But then this morning, I found that I was able to focus better in my davening because I said to myself: I'm donning my armour, to protect myself from all the norishkeit and gashmius of the day. I guess it seeped deeper within me than I expected, B'H'!
So thanks, S, for sharing a wonderful story that is already inspiring me to stride higher in my spiritual health!
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